Aglaonema plant named ‘TWYAG0060’

ABSTRACT

A new  Aglaonema  plant particularly distinguished by having a very dense leafy, compact and upright highly branched growth habit, being intermediate in stature and very vigorous and producing axillary branches and numerous leaves is disclosed.

Genus and species: Aglaonema hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘TWYAG0060’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Aglaonema, botanically known as Aglaonema hybrid, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘TWYAG0060’. The new cultivar originated from a hybridization made in W. Java, Indonesia. The cross was made in 2002 between the female parent, an unnamed individual plant of A. rotundum (unpatented) and the male parent, an unnamed individual plant of A. commutatum (unpatented).

The new cultivar was created in W. Java, Indonesia and has been asexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings and tissue culture in Apopka, Fla. The present invention has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normal horticultural practices in Apopka, Fla.

-   -   1. Intermediate in stature;     -   2. Very dense leafy, compact and upright, highly branched growth         habit;     -   3. Very vigorous; and     -   4. Produces axillary branches and numerous leaves.

DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPH

This new Aglaonema plant is illustrated by the accompanying photograph which shows the upper and lower surface of a mature leaf of the plant. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘TWYAG0060’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Apopka, Fla. The plant history was taken on 16-month old plants started from a single 4-leaf rooted cutting, still in a vegetative state and grown in Apopka, Fla. Rooted cuttings were planted in 20-cm pots and grown in a greenhouse in May 2006. The plants were pinched twice. Color readings were taken under natural light. Color references are primarily to the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.) (2001).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Araceae.         -   Botanical.—Aglaonema hybrid.         -   Common name.—Chinese Evergreen. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—An unnamed individual plant of A. rotundum             (unpatented).         -   Male parent.—An unnamed individual plant of A. commutatum             (unpatented). -   Growth:     -   -   Form.—Symmetrical, wider than tall; new leaves held upright,             mature leaves arch outward.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Very densely leafy, compact;             upright highly branched growth habit (basal branching);             intermediate in stature.         -   Height (from soil to top of leaf plane).—28 cm to 32 cm.         -   Diameter (area of spread, measured from leaf tip to leaf tip             across the canopy).—50 cm to 58 cm.         -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—16-months             starting from a single 4-leaf rooted cutting and pinched             twice.         -   Root description.—Abundant fleshy roots whiter than but             closest to RHS 155C with finer lateral branches.         -   Number of divisions or clumps per year.—About 8 to 10 4-leaf             cuttings per year.         -   Durability of foliage to stresses.—Leaves hold up well             against damage from shipping and handling; plant is durable,             excellent indoor keeping quality.         -   High temperature tolerance.—To about 104° F. for several             hours without damage.         -   Low temperature tolerance.—To about 55° F. for several hours             without damage. -   Stems:     -   -   Number of branches per plant.—22.         -   Length (from soil line to the junction of the newest two             leaves).—14 cm.         -   Diameter.—1.0 cm.         -   Internode length.—0.9 cm to 1.5 cm.         -   Color.—Immature: RHS 155A faintly tinged with RHS 165D and             mottled with RHS 144C. Mature: RHS 164C. Oldest stems: RHS             147A with area of RHS 164C tinged with RHS 146B.         -   Appearance (shape).—Columnar, cylindrical upright.         -   Aspect.—Vertical, upright.         -   Strength.—Sturdy, strong, somewhat flexible.         -   Axillary buds.—Shape: Elliptic, flat. Length: 0.60 cm.             Width: 0.30 cm. Color: RHS 158A tinged with RHS 49C. -   Leaves:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, single, arranged in a spiral along             the stem.         -   Quantity of leaves per stem.—8.         -   Quantity of leaflets per leaf.—Single, simple.         -   Young leaf (New expanded leaf).—Color: Upper side: Base             color much darker and greener than, but closest to a color             between RHS 147A and RHS 146A suffused with spots and             blotches of RHS 146D, and RHS 146D flushed with RHS 48A or             RHS 49A; areas adjacent to the primary veins and midrib are             marked with RHS 146D, RHS 48A and RHS 49A. Under side: Base             color RHS N186C with a cast of RHS 147A (dark-green);             suffusion of RHS 53C to RHS 53D spots; areas adjacent to the             primary veins and midrib are RHS 53C to RHS 53D and RHS 185C             to RHS 185D.         -   Mature leaf.—Color: Upper side: Base color much darker and             greener than, but closest to a color between RHS 147A and             RHS 139A suffused with spots and blotches of RHS 146C and             RHS 146C flushed with RHS 53B to RHS 53C; areas adjacent to             the primary veins and midrib are marked with RHS 146C             flushed with RHS 53B to RHS 53C. Under side: Base color RHS             N186C with a cast of RHS 147A (dark-green); suffusion of             spots of RHS 53B to RHS 53C; areas adjacent to the primary             veins and midrib are RHS 53B to RHS 53C and RHS 185B to RHS             185C.         -   Length.—15.3 cm to 19.5 cm.         -   Width.—Flattened: 9.0 cm to 11.5 cm. Not flattened: 6.0 cm             to 9.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic to ovate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Smooth, entire; mostly flat with some broad             undulations.         -   Texture.—Smooth; new leaves shiny; mature leaves shiny to             glossy; the leaf blade is convex between the main veins             giving the leaf a textured appearance.         -   Pubescence.—None.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, radiating outward from the midrib             in a herringbone arrangement.         -   Venation color (newly expanded leaf).—Upper side: Primary             veins: RHS 147D often flushed with RHS 48A, RHS 49A, RHS             53C. Midrib: RHS 48A, RHS 49A with streaks of RHS 146A to             RHS 146B. Under side: Primary veins: RHS 49A. Midrib: RHS             50B to RHS 50C.         -   Venation color (mature leaf).—Upper side: Primary veins: RHS             146C often flushed with RHS 53B to RHS 53C. Midrib: RHS 53B             to RHS 53C streaked with RHS 146A. Under side: Primary             veins: RHS 49A. Midrib: RHS 50C.         -   Petioles.—Aspect: Vertical upright when newly expanded,             becoming curved outward and about 45° with maturity. Length:             10.0 cm. Diameter: Distal: 0.45 cm. Proximal (petiole and             petiole sheath clasps the stem proximally): Flattened:             2.6 cm. Natural diameter: 1.0 cm. Color: Distal: RHS 49A to             RHS 49B (between the top of the wing and the base of the             leaf). Proximal: RHS 49C to RHS 49D streaked with RHS 48A.             Area adjacent to stem: RHS 49C to RHS 49D. Wing length:             6.7 cm. Wing diameter: Mid-point: 0.8 cm. Base: 1.0 cm.             Depth: 0.5 cm. Wing color: Inside: RHS 49D, sides RHS 50B to             RHS 50C. Outside-proximal: RHS 49C to RHS 49D streaked with             RHS 48A. Outside-distal: RHS 48B base color, streaked and             flushed with RHS 53B to RHS 53C. Area adjacent to stem: RHS             49D. -   Fruit and seed set: None observed. -   Disease and insect resistance: No special observations made.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

‘TWYAG0060’ differs from the female parent, an unnamed individual plant of A. rotundum (unpatented), by having a more compact growth habit and more branching than the female parent. Additionally, ‘TWYAG0060’ has elliptic to ovate leaves with pink and yellow-green blotches while the female parent has broadly ovate leaves lacking either pink or yellow-green blotches.

‘TWYAG0060’ differs from the male parent, an unnamed individual plant of A. commutatum (unpatented) by having a more compact growth habit and more branching than the male parent. Additionally, ‘TWYAG0060’ has very colorful leaves while the male parent has pale green leaves with lateral gray-green markings.

‘TWYAG0060’ differs from the commercial cultivar ‘Red Gold’ (unpatented), in that ‘TWYAG0060’ has a shorter and more compact growth habit than ‘Red Gold’. In addition, ‘TWYAG0060’ has darker green leaves with maroon undersides, while ‘Red Gold’ has lighter green leaves with pale green undersides. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Aglaonema plant as shown and described herein. 